Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Watan Party President Barrister Zafarullah Khan on Thursday moved a petition in top court requesting it to dismiss the petitions regarding Panamagate as these do not fall within the ambit of public interest. Opposing the identical petitions separately filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Awami Muslim League, seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) seeking formation of Panamagate Commission, Barrister Zafarullah through his petition contended that the matter was of personal and political nature, and hence, cannot be entertained.

The petitioner made the federal government, Ministry of Law and Justice and Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Assembly Speaker as respondents.

However, he has not made PTI Chairman Imran Khan a respondent, nor are Emir JI Sirajul Haq and Awami Muslim League’s chief Sheikh Rasheed respondents in his petition filed under Articles 184(3) read with 2-A, 3, 4, 5, 8.9, 18, 19(a) and 25 of the constitution. The petition contended that these issues were raised to get cheap popularity through the Supreme Court at the expense of the public.

“Since this matter belongs to parliament, a parliamentary committee needs to be formed to look into illegalities committed and later this issue will be placed before the ECP through the Speaker of National Assembly to dismember such parliamentarians,” the petition stated.

In the petition, Barrister Zafarullah further stated that petitions pertaining to the Panama Leaks are not a violation of fundamental rights and could not be filed and entertained under Article 184(3) in the apex court. “It was a political and personal issue and efforts were made to change the government and these petitioners made every effort to dislodge the sitting Prime Minister,” stated the petition. It further said that the FBR is active in the matter and had issued notices to 444 individuals. He requested the top court that FBR may be allowed to continue its activity and final results of these independent investigations to be placed before these courts.

He further contended that in the absence of any new Pakistan Inquiry Commission of 2016-17, as directed by Supreme Court itself, the government and parliament were trying to constitute an inquiry commission adding that till a new inquiry commission was constituted, the government could not form an inquiry commission.